Apparatus for drawing wire



(No Model.)

L. WILLIAMS.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

No. 256,779. 3 Patented Apr. 18, 1882.

WITNESSES:

4 INVENTOR:

LEWI 5 WILLIAM s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS WVILLIAMS, OF BEN N INGTON, VERMONT.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,779, dated April 18, 1882,

Application filed October 17, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS WILLIAMS, of the town of Benniugton, in the county of Bennington and State of Vermont, haveinvented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Drawing Wire, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, constitutes a specification.

The subject-matter of this invention is embodied in a driving-clutch of special construction as adapted and applied to the block used in theprocess of wire-drawing for grasping one end of the \vireand coiling the same after it passes through the draw-plate. As these blocks have heretofore been constructed, they have consisted of a vertical winding drum or spool having a single disk-head at the bottom end,

the edge of which projects beyond the peripheral surface of the drum and constitutes a raised beveledflange, against or athwart which the wire is strained as the drum is revolved in the process of drawing the wire. Upon the under face of this disk or head are cast or attached lugs or ledges, which thus constitute shaft upon which the block is mounted, and

upon which it is so fitted that when thrown outof action it freelyrevolves, and below the block, is rigidly attached to the shaft the counterpart or driving member of the clutch, being simply a hub keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft, its upper end constituting an enlarged flange or disk, upon the upper face of whichare constructed lugs or clutch-teeth which are adepted to enter the interdental spaces of the driven member of the clutch on the block, and thus engage the lugs or teeth thereof to drive the same. All these parts were and are usually made of iron, and experience has demonstrated that after long use the continued throwing in and out of engagement of the clutch, which is usually done by dropping the block down upon or into engagement with the driver or bottom member of the clutch, results in gradually upsetting, crumbling off, and in ultimately de- (No model stroying the clutch-teeth, so that after such damage the whole block, with its appendages, is rendered unfit for use long before its other parts are worn out, and is consequently lost. Such damage is the natural consequence of the shock resultin gfrom thesudden impactbetweeu the clutch-teeth when the driving-shaft is running more or less rapidly, and the dormant or inert member of the clutch is suddenly thrown into engagement with the driver.

To remedy these defects is the object of this invention. For this-purpose I have interposed between the driving and the driven clutch disks a concentric annulus equipped on its opposite sideswith lugs or clutch-teeth for engagement with the lugs of the driving and the driven members of the clutch, respectively, and so constructed as to be constantly held in engagement with one of the members of the clutch, (which in this case is the member connected with the block,) and in such a way that an elastic pad or cushion is retained in position between each lug or clutch-tooth of the member with which the annulus is connected and the lug or clutch-tooth on the annulus following immediately in its rear. By means of this arrangement of devices the shock or concussion attendant upon throwing the clutch into gear suddenly when the driver is runningis received primarily by the annulus, and through it is transferred to the elastic cushions interposed between the lugs or teeth of the annulus and of the driven member of the clutch, upon or through which such shock is nearly or entirel-ydit'fused or dissipated, as a result whereof the several teeth of therespective parts are greatly relieved from theeffect of the hammering incidental to throwingthe parts into engagement whercno such protection is provided.

My invention will be fully understood by reference to the drawings, wherein Figure lis a top plan of such a block as is used in the process of drawing wire,with myimprovements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the block,taken on the line12of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the underside of the drum detached from all other parts, and shows the construction of the driven member of the clutch system.

view of the intermediate member of thesys Fig. 4 is a top -tion.

tem, termed theannular member. Fig. 5 is an edge view oftheannular member. :Fig. 6 is a view of the bottom thereof. Fig. 7 is a top view of the driver. Fig. 8 is a perspective of one of the cushions employed to mitigate and diffuse the shock.

My apparatus consists essentially of four parts mounted on a common shaft, A, consisting of the driver L, which'is permanently fastened to the shaft, the annular clutch N, located between the driver and the drum B, the driven clutch G, which is integral with the flanged drum B, and the cushion or cushions J. The hub O of the drum B is constructed with two concentric semicircular chambers or recesses, G G, of the form shown in cross section in Fig. 2 and in inverted plan in Fig. 3 These are separated by the transverse webs or steps H H, which constitutelthe clutch-teeth, lugs, or abutmeuts for receiving the thrust or impact from the tlI'lVtl through the ring and interposed cushions. The disk K K of the drum B is centrallyperforated, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the annular clutch N N may fall into its proper seat or position. The interior edge of this perforation is recessed back, as at D D, Figs. 2 and 3, for the passage through of the wings P P of the annular clutch N N. The concave seinhaunular concentric recesses G G are for the reception of the clutch-teeth or lugs Q Q of the annular clutch and of the cushions J J. One of these cushions is shown in position in Fig. 3.

The annular clutch N N (shown in top, edge, and bottom views in Figs. 4:, 5, and 6, respectively)-is cast from metal in one piece. It is centrally'bored or turned to fit the bottom end of the hub O of drum B, and when in position rests against the shoulder 12 a of such hub, as seen in Fig. 2. It is equipped with the wings P P, which are provided to hold the annular clutch in position in engagement with the clutch of drum B, the mode of accomplishing which is more fully explained further on. Uponits upper surface are the elevated concentric clutch-teeth Q Q, which are of the shape shown or of any other suitable configuration, I

provided they are adapted to properlyfill and rotate in the concentric recesses G G, Fig. 3. The lugs Q Q and wings P P are suffieiently separated to permit one of the cushions J to find room between stop H and the driving-face r oflug Q, and then allow partial rotation of the annular clutch when it is in working posi- Beneath the lugs Q Q of the annular clutch N N, and upon'the under side thereof, are the rebatements 0 O, which are in form the counterpart of the lugs or clutch-teeth M M of the driving-clutch L, the driving-faces t t of the teeth M M engaging with the ledges s s of the annular clutch N N when the parts are assembled and are ready for action.

The periphery of clutch-disk L is eccentric with its axis of rotation, and-is so constructed to facilitate the action of a brake. (Not shown in the drawings.)

()ne of the cushions is shown in perspective inFig. 8. ,There are two of these employed, and they may be made of any elastic material, preferably of rubber; but steel springs could be adapted to the purpose, if desired. They are of such form in cross-section as to fit the annular chambers or grooves G G, and are confined in position by means'ot' the annular ring N N.

The mode of assembling and operating the mechanism is as follows: Clutch L is first firmly secured to the driving-shaft A in position as shown in Fig. 2. Then the annular clutch N N is droppcdover it, so that the bottomside, or that seen in Fig. 6, shall lie next:- to the teeth M M of the driving-clutch L. Next the springcushions J J are placed in position lying on top of the ring-clutch and next to the front ends, 1" r, of the lugs 'Q' Q, Fig. 4. After this the drum B, disk side down, is slipped on over the top of shaft A, and in its descent the wings P P enter and pass through the recesses D D of the drum disk or head K K. The annular disk is then rotated slightly to one side, thus carrying wings P P around, so that they rest upon the upper surface of the interior edge of drum-head K K, as seenin Fig. 1. Slots or recesses D D are then closed by the stops E E, each of which has a downwardly-projectinglip,which enters such recess and closes the same- These stops are held by a bolt, pin, or screw, and thin edges furnish an abutment against which the wings P P impinge whenever there is any backlash or recoil from the action of the spring-cushions J J. The edges of the driven clutch are slightly cut back, as from 00 to 00, Fig. 1, thus constituting open intervals or spaces in or through which the wings P P have free play or movement. The several parts being thus assembled, the reduced end of the wire to be drawn is passed through the drawplate and brought somewhat diagonally over the upturned flange ofthe drum or block B and across the face of such drum to'its upper edge,

IIO

where it is grasped by a gripping or clamping pliances the block is then depressed until it engages with'the driving-clutch L. From the moment of such engagement until the annular clutch has advanced to the point where its lugs Q Q strike the cushions J J there is little or no shock; but from the last point forward there is a rapidly augmenting tension untilits maximum is reached, when the wire is drawn taut and the drawing proper commences. This rapidly increasing tension or impact is resisted by the cushions J J, which by the aforesaid action of the parts become densely compacted, but yet elastic while the drawing proceeds, by means and as a consequence whereof the several metallic parts are not in any appreciable degree injured by the force of such impact, and any destructive force or influence is expended upon the cushions which can be easily replaced. It is obvious that a where such results are desirable.

set of such cushions may also be applied between the driving and the annular clutch with slight mechanical adaptation.

The foregoing-described system of devices for reducing shock and conserving the wearing-surfaces or points of contact in clutches of the character described--viz., by interposing between the driving'and the driven clutch an intermediate member having lugs or teeth on its opposite faces for engagement with the lugs or teeth of such driving and driven members, respectively, and so constructed as to carry interposed between the engaging teeth ononeor both sides of saidintermediate member elastic cushions for the dissipation of the shock or jar resultant from instantaneous starting or throwing into gearis susceptible of a wide range of application in.all kinds of machinery Hence I do not confine myself to any single application of my invention; but

I claim as new and hereby declare the followin g enumerated features and characteristics of my hereinbefore-described invention to he the subject-matter intended to be secured and protected by these Letters Patent, to wit:

As an improvement in wire-drawing apparatus, the combination of the flanged winding-drum B, constructed with the concentric semicircular grooves or channels G G and abutments H H, the annular clutch N N, provided on its opposite sides with lugs for engagement with the corresponding lugs of the driving and driven clutches, respectively, and having elastic cushions or springs interposed bet-ween the lugs of the annular and the driven members of the system, with a driving member, L, rigidly connected with the drivingshaft, substantially in the manner described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereto subscribed my name, at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, this 7th day of October, A. D. 1881.

LEWIS WILLIAMS.

In presence of- A. MONTGOMERY, JAMES D. KELVIE. 

